Shooting at Gaza aid site a “war crime”
“Using starvation as an act of warfare … it’s already a war crime [as] described by [the] International Criminal Court.” Dr Bassem Zaqout, director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society, says US-backed aid distribution efforts in Gaza have been marred by shootings and a lack of organisation. Adblock test (Why?)
Several feared dead in stampede outside cricket stadium in India
Authorities say crowd was ‘uncontrollable’ as thousands gathered to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL title win. Several people are feared dead and many more injured in a stampede outside a cricket stadium in the southern Indian state of Karnataka to celebrate the home team’s victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s most popular Twenty20 cricket tournament. The incident took place on Wednesday as thousands of fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the state capital, Bengaluru. India’s NDTV broadcaster reported at least 11 people died. Local TV news channels showed footage of police shifting the injured and those who fell unconscious to ambulances. The Times of India newspaper reported that at least seven people had perished. DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister of Karnataka, told reporters that “the crowd was very uncontrollable”. The event was being held to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first IPL title win on Tuesday. Stampedes often happen in India when large crowds gather. In January, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindu devotees rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Why did the Dutch government collapse and what’s next?
The Dutch government collapsed on Tuesday after far-right politician Geert Wilders pulled out of the right-wing coalition after a dispute over anti-immigration measures his party had proposed. Wilders’ decision prompted the Dutch cabinet and Prime Minister Dick Schoof to resign. Here is what triggered the government’s collapse, and what happens next: Why did Wilders withdraw? Wilders announced the withdrawal of his right-wing party, the Party for Freedom (PVV), from the 11-month-old right-wing Netherlands coalition government. Wilders said the other three parties in the coalition had failed to back his plans to crack down on asylum for refugees. “No signature under our asylum plans. The PVV leaves the coalition,” Wilders wrote in an X post on Tuesday after a brief meeting in parliament with party leaders. Besides PVV, the coalition comprised People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB) and the New Social Contract (NSC). On May 26, Wilders announced a 10-point plan to extensively slash migration, deploying army officials at the Dutch land borders and rejecting all asylum seekers. Wilders threatened, back then, that his party would pull out of the coalition if migration policy was not toughened. Advertisement The four parties cumulatively held 88 seats in the country’s 150-seat House of Representatives. The PVV won the latest November 2023 election with 23 percent of the vote and 37 seats, the highest number of seats in the parliament out of all parties. The majority mark in the House is 76 seats. The withdrawal leaves the coalition with only 51 seats. When did Schoof step down? After Wilders announced the withdrawal, an emergency cabinet meeting was called. After this, Schoof announced that he would step down, hours after the PVV withdrawal. “I have told party leaders repeatedly in recent days that the collapse of the cabinet would be unnecessary and irresponsible,” Schoof said in the emergency cabinet meeting. “We are facing major challenges both nationally and internationally that require decisiveness from us.” How did other Dutch leaders react? Other leaders in the coalition called Wilders “irresponsible” and blamed him for putting his own political interests ahead of the country. “There is a war on our continent. Instead of meeting the challenge, Wilders is showing he is not willing to take responsibility,” said Dilan Yesilgoz, leader of the VVD, which has 24 seats in the the House. “It is irresponsible to take down the government at this point,” NSC leader Nicolien van Vroonhoven said about Wilders. The NSC has 20 seats. Head of the opposition GreenLeft-Labour alliance Frans Timmermans said he could “see no other way to form a stable government” than early elections. What’s next? Schoof will now formally submit his resignation to the head of state, Dutch King Willem-Alexander. After this, elections are expected to be called. It is likely that the election will be held sometime in October or November, based on previous cycles. Advertisement As of May 31, polls show that Wilders’ PVV has lost a little of its support, from 23 percent in the 2023 election to 20 percent. This brings the party almost at par with the GreenLeft-Labour alliance, which has 19 percent of support and 25 seats in the lower house of parliament, the second highest number of seats after the PVV. The fragmented politics of the Netherlands makes it difficult to predict which party will win the election. It is unlikely for a single party to win the 76-seat majority and it takes months for a coalition to form. According to the Dutch election authority’s data, no single party has ever won a majority since the first direct elections in 1848. What happens until elections? Schoof has said he and the other ministers of the coalition will continue with their positions in a caretaker government until a new government is formed after elections. The political crisis comes as the Netherlands is scheduled to host a summit of NATO leaders at The Hague on June 24-25. Mark Rutte, the current secretary-general of NATO, was the prime minister of the Netherlands from 2010 to 2024. Rutte was affiliated with the VVD. Schoof had also been involved in European efforts to provide support to Ukraine in its war against Russia. In February, the Dutch PM was present at a meeting with other European leaders in Paris where the leaders pledged to provide Ukraine with security guarantees. Adblock test (Why?)
Will Census 2027 include enumeration of castes? Why is it so late this time?
Census 2021 was also proposed to be conducted in two phases in a similar manner with phase I during April-September 2020 and second phase in February 2021.
Join us June 24 in San Angelo to hear from lawmakers on legislative session’s impact
We’ll discuss bills the Legislature passed, how San Angelo and rural Texas will be affected and what Texans should know going forward.
Trump DOJ takes ‘unprecedented’ step admonishing foreign judge in free speech case centered on Rumble
The Department of Justice (DOJ) sent an unprecedented letter to a Brazilian Supreme Court justice in May, admonishing the judge for ordering American-based video platform Rumble to restrict the free speech of a user on U.S. soil, describing the orders as international overreach that lack enforceability. Rumble, a popular U.S.-based video-sharing platform that bucks censorship efforts frequently found on other video and social media platforms, is at the center of an international battle to protect free speech that has been ongoing for months. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered the suspension of Rumble in the South American country back in February over claims the U.S. company did not comply with court orders, including removing the accounts of a Brazilian man living in the U.S. and seeking political asylum. “If you look at what’s happening around the world, it’s clear we’re living through a perilous moment for anyone who believes in freedom of expression — a fundamental human right enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and recognized globally, even by the United Nations,” Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski exclusively told Fox News Digital Tuesday following the DOJ’s May letter. RUMBLE, TRUMP MEDIA DECLARE ‘COMPLETE VICTORY FOR FREE SPEECH’ IN WIN AGAINST BRAZILIAN JUDGE “The fact that Rumble has become a central player in this global fight for free speech is a powerful validation of our mission. We’re proud to stand at the front lines of this effort and grateful that President Trump and his administration have made this battle a foreign policy priority.” Moraes is now in the U.S. government’s crosshairs after the DOJ sent a letter to him in May outlining his reported international overreach into U.S. law affecting the First Amendment, as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealing in a congressional hearing that the Brazilian judge could face U.S. sanctions. Moraes had ordered Rumble to remove a user from its platform as he stands accused of spreading false information online and is considered a fugitive in Brazil. Rumble refused and was threatened with financial penalties for the lack of cooperation. TRUMP-BACKED MEDIA COMPANY SUES BRAZILIAN SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, CLAIMS HE’S ILLEGALLY CENSORING FREE SPEECH The DOJ letter, dated May 7 and made public Thursday, argued that Moraes’ orders are not enforceable in the U.S. “These purported directives to Rumble are made under threat of monetary and other penalties,” the letter, signed by DOJ official Ada E. Bosque, reads. “We take no position on the enforceability of the various orders and other judicial documents directing Rumble to act within the territory of Brazil, which is a matter of Brazilian law. However, to the extent that these documents direct Rumble to undertake specific actions in the United States, we respectfully advise that such directives are not enforceable judicial orders in the United States.” The DOJ did not have additional comment to provide when approached about the letter Tuesday. Pavlovski described to Fox Digital that the letter is “unprecedented” and draws a clear line to foreign nations that they cannot attempt to thwart U.S. laws and the First Amendment. “The letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to a foreign judge over censorship orders is unprecedented,” Pavlovski said. “It draws a bright red line: foreign officials cannot issue censorship orders that violate the First Amendment or bypass U.S. law. That kind of extraterritorial overreach is incompatible with American sovereignty. And that’s good news, not just for Americans, but for free societies everywhere.” RUMBLE REVEALS CENSORSHIP DEMANDS FROM SURPRISING LIST OF COUNTRIES AS CEO TO TESTIFY ON FREE SPEECH THREATS The letter continued that there are established channels for international legal proceedings, which the DOJ said the judge bypassed, and directed the Brazilian judge to various proper procedures he could take regarding the court orders. Rumble facing restrictions in foreign nations is hardly new, with the platform currently disabled in China, Russia and France, as well as Brazil. It has also previously received censorship demands in nations such as the U.K., Australia and New Zealand, but has maintained its free speech objective. The DOJ’s letter comes as Rubio revealed in a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing in May that the State Department is considering sanctions against Moraes under the Magnitsky Act. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act authorizes the U.S. government to sanction individuals overseas if determined responsible for human rights abuses or corruption. “We’ve seen pervasive censorship, political persecution targeting the entire opposition, including journalists and ordinary citizens,” Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills asked Rubio at the hearing in May. “What they’re now doing is imminent, politically motivated imprisonment of former President Bolsonaro. This crackdown has extended beyond Brazil’s borders, impacting individuals on U.S. soil., the 2023 Financial Times article actually talked about this. What do you intend to do? And would you be looking at Supreme Court justice sanctioning of Alexandre de Moraes under the Global Magnitsky Act?” BRAZILIAN EX-PRESIDENT BOLSONARO ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL OVER ALLEGED COUP PLAN Rubio responded, “That’s under review right now, and it’s a great, great possibility that will happen.” Days later, Rubio posted to X that the State Department will roll out visa restrictions on foreigners found “complicit” in censoring Americans. “For too long, Americans have been fined, harassed, and even charged by foreign authorities for exercising their free speech rights,” Rubio wrote on X. “Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and persons who are complicit in censoring Americans. Free speech is essential to the American way of life — a birthright over which foreign governments have no authority.” “Foreigners who work to undermine the rights of Americans should not enjoy the privilege of traveling to our country,” Rubio added, not naming specific individuals responsible for such actions. “Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere, the days of passive treatment for those who work to undermine the rights of Americans are over.” Moraes is also overseeing the upcoming trial of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of allegedly attempting
Hawley clashes with UPenn law professor over judicial injunctions
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., clashed Tuesday with a University of Pennsylvania law professor over the number of nationwide judicial injunctions imposed by district judges against President Donald Trump’s executive actions on matters including deportations, tariffs, and cuts to federal funding and the federal workforce. During the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing titled “The Supposedly ‘Least Dangerous Branch’: District Judges v. Trump,” Hawley displayed a bar chart to argue that nationwide injunctions against the executive branch, which had not been used until the 1960s, surged when Trump came into office for his first term and then dramatically dropped again during former President Joe Biden’s time at the White House. “Now, you don’t think this is a little bit anomalous?” Hawley asked University of Pennsylvania law professor Kate Shaw. TRUMP CRITICIZES RAND PARL OVER TAX BILL OPPOSTION: ‘VOTES NO ON EVERYTHING’ Shaw, a Supreme Court contributor for ABC News who previously worked for former President Barack Obama’s White House Counsel’s Office, responded, “A very plausible explanation, senator, you have to consider is that [Trump] is engaged in much more lawless activity than other presidents. Right?” “This was never used before the 1960s,” Hawley said. “And suddenly Democrat judges decide we love the nationwide injunction. And then when Biden comes office, no, no.” Shaw cited Mila Sohoni, a Stanford Law School professor, as suggesting that the first nationwide injunction came in 1913 and others were issued in the 1920s. “The federal government was doing a lot less until 100 years ago,” she said. “There’s many things that have changed in the last hundred or the last 50 years.” “So as long as it is a Democrat president in office, then we should have no nationwide injunctions?” Hawley shot back. “If it’s a Republican president, then this is absolutely fine, warranted and called for? How can our system of law survive on those principles?” Shaw said she believes a system where there “are no legal constraints on the president is a very dangerous system of law,” but the Republican from Missouri contended that’s not what the law professor believed when Biden was president. “You said it was a travesty for the principles of democracy, notions of judicial impartiality and the rule of law,” Hawley said. “You said the idea that anyone would foreign shop to get a judge who would issue a nationwide injunction was a politician, just judges looking like politicians in robes. Again, it threatened the underlying legal system. People are just trying to get the result they wanted. It was a travesty for the rule of law. But you’re fine with all of that if it’s getting the result that you want.” JUDGE TO BLOCK TRUMP ADMIN’S HARVARD FOREIGN STUDENTS BAN Hawley cited Shaw’s stance in a specific abortion pill ruling during Biden’s presidency. In April 2023, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas issued a nationwide injunction on the Biden Food and Drug Administration’s mifepristone rules, which Shaw described at the time as “a travesty for the principles of democracy, notions of judicial impartiality and the rule of law.” Hawley said she had failed to offer a legitimate principle for issuing nationwide injunctions now. “I understand you hate the president,” the senator told Shaw. “I understand that you love all of these rulings against him. You and I both know that’s not a principle. You’re a lawyer. What’s the principle that divides when issuing a nationwide injunction is OK and when it is not? When the Biden administration was subject to nationwide injunctions, you said that they were travesties for the principle of democracy.” “When it’s Biden, it’s OK. When it’s Biden, oh, it’s a travesty. When it’s Trump in office, it’s a no holds barred, whatever it takes,” the senator added. Hawley said Shaw and his Democratic colleagues were raising “very principled injunctions” to nationwide injunctions issued against Biden just nine months ago and “all that’s changed in nine months is the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.” “I realize that my colleagues on this side of the aisle very much dislike that individual,” Hawley said, referring to Trump. “And I realize that you think that the rulings that he has lost are fundamentally sound.” “I disagree with all of that, but we can put that to one side. The question we’re talking about here is, ‘Should judges, single judges, district court judges be able to bind nonparties who are not in front of them?’ And you used to say no. Now you say yes,” he said. “Let’s be consistent. I would just suggest to you our system of government cannot survive if it’s going to be politics all the way down.” Shaw responded that “democracy is not as simple as majority rule,” but Hawley interjected, saying, “You would have it as simple as majority rule. When you get the majority you like, you’re for the nationwide injunction. When you don’t, you’re not.”
Radical new DOGE transparency powers could hit Congress after Elon Musk exit
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is pushing to grant Congress vast new oversight powers over real-time federal spending to pick up where Elon Musk left off with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A new bill that Roy is introducing on Wednesday would give lawmakers access to Treasury Department invoices larger than $25,000 in real time. It would also grant lawmakers the ability to see payments to individual recipients of federal benefits and federal employees, according to bill text previewed by Fox News Digital. HOUSE GOP TARGETS ANOTHER DEM OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF BLOCKING ICE AMID DELANEY HALL FALLOUT It comes roughly a week after Musk announced he was stepping away from his federal government role – followed by his criticism of congressional Republicans’ spending legislation on the way out the door. “DOGE lifted up the hood of federal government spending and put on full display the massive programs and inefficiencies wasting American taxpayer dollars,” Roy told Fox News Digital. “Billions were splurged on waste, fraud and abuse – but also on programs that clearly do not align with the core values of the American people. Regardless of which party controls the White House, the mission of DOGE in identifying wasteful spending must continue.” He said his legislation would give Congress “the best tools available to identify this ridiculous spending in real time and allow us to reform government spending well into the future.” Fiscal hawks like Roy are already looking to the next steps even as Congress begins consideration of a $9.4 billion spending cut proposal sent by the White House on Tuesday. MIKE JOHNSON, DONALD TRUMP GET ‘BIG, ‘BEAUTIFUL’ WIN AS BUDGET PASSES HOUSE The mechanism, known as a rescissions package, gives Capitol Hill 45 days to approve the blockage of funds – which were previously greenlit by Congress – while lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage on it from 60 votes to 51. The package, which Republican leaders signaled could be the first of several, targets federal funding to NPR, PBS and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). House GOP leaders said that package would get a vote next week.
Bengaluru Stampede LIVE Update: 4 feared dead outside Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s IPL win celebrations
The stampede took place when thousands of fans attempted to enter the stadium in a hurry from various gates.
Caste census, population count to begin from THIS date, to be conducted in two phases
The central government on Wednesday, i.e., June 4, announced that the process of decadal census is likely to begin with the caste-based enumeration.